ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos dropped the final game of the series against Grand Canyon on Sunday by the score of 8-0 with UNM getting three hits from the top of the lineup.
DeNae Vasquez-Dickson, Gabrielle Briones and Miracle McKenzie all reached on hits with Estrella Rowe also reaching base on a walk.
GCU plated two runs in the second, four in the fourth and two final runs in the fifth to enforce the run-rule with the Lobos leaving three runners on base.
McKenna Guest struck out two in the opening frame, working around a hit-by-pitch, while Briones recorded the first hit of the game on a single to left field.
A walk in the second inning following a full count was followed by a two-run home run on the eighth pitch of the at-bat and another full count to put the visitors up 2-0 with the Lobo defense leaving a runner on second on a flyout to Vasquez-Dickson in left.
The Lobos had a runner reach in the home half on a four-pitch walk for Rowe, but a popup left the freshman stranded on first.
GCU again put pressure on the Lobo defense in the third, loading the bases on a leadoff single through the left side and two, two-out walks, with Guest’s third strikeout accounting for the second out in the inning, but a groundout left them loaded and the deficit at two.
Much like the first and the second innings, UNM had a runner reach behind a one-out single down the left field line by Vasquez-Dickson, however, the Lobo was deemed to have left early on a stolen base attempt following a GCU challenge to bring the inning to an end.
The Lopes added four runs on five hits in the fourth, all coming with two outs before the Lobos were able to record the third out on a caught stealing at the plate with Jessica DeLeon throwing to Briones, who cut off the throw in the middle of the infield and threw back home to DeLeon on the Lope trying to steal home.
UNM had its best chance to get on the scoreboard in the fourth following a leadoff single by McKenzie, with the Lobo first baseman advancing to second on a foul out behind the plate and moving to third on a groundout to second, with the inning coming to an end on a groundout to the pitcher by Georgia Heathcock after the ball hit the handle.
Two singles to start the top of the fifth, a sac bunt that moved both runners into scoring position and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with a flyout to Allie Williams in right and a strong throw to home keeping all runners in place for the second out. On the 2-2 pitch, a single to left scored two runs for the 8-0 score.
For the first time in the game, the Lobos were unable to put a runner on in the home half of the inning for the final score.
Guest went 2.2 innings in the loss with three strikeouts, three hits and two runs allowed before Caitlin Benningfield moved from centerfield to the circle and threw 1.0 innings. Arianna Capek threw the final 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
The Lobos remain at home and return to the field on Tuesday to host New Mexico State at 5 p.m. with the game broadcast on Altitude 2.